


If Only by the Roll of the Dice

by templefugate



Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game)
Genre: Brother Feels, Gen, Immortality, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Rivalry, Thor Ragnarok Event, but also kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 04:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12697032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/templefugate/pseuds/templefugate
Summary: The Collector welcomes his brother to campus, a fascinating place that far exceeds first expectations.





	If Only by the Roll of the Dice

It wasn't as if this was for all eternity. Indeed, En Dwi Gast had lived to see empires fall like dominoes and peoples felled like trees. Time gave little and took greedily any and all it could.

Still, this had hardly seemed in his cards.

"Who designed this place?" The Grandmaster wrinkled his nose. He could barely traverse the sidewalk without running into someone. The surrounding buildings were a mishmash in size and shape, a great (and sadly empty) monster coliseum sitting with a dorm on one side and a small coffee shop on the other. The horizon was impossible to make out, blocked by gyms, a withered old mansion, dance halls, and a quaint clothing boutique.

"Do not get too comfortable with it," Taneleer responded. "Something will vanish tomorrow and be replaced with something far more garish. Or everything will be moved-depends on the day."

"Truly?"

"Would I lie to you?"

"You would certainly cheat."

The Collector rolled his eyes. "You'll never let me forget that, shall you? I've told you before, I had to get the upper hand somehow."

"At least you admit to your subpar playing skills."

His brother only grunted in reply.

The two walked on for a few moments in silence. Most students seemed calm, talking busily amongst themselves or hurrying onwards with smiles stretched across their faces. Did they not even see the great coliseum in the distance and the horned goddess presiding on it?

No, probably not, if only because the lecture hall blocked their view.

"I must admit, when I sent word your way I never actually expected you to come."

"You can thank Hela for our family reunion then." He gritted his teeth at the name. Death deity or not, she should have known he was not to be conquered like some mortal. "Though I owe Fury for my position."

"I still do not see how you weaseled your way into becoming a professor."

He scoffed. "I assure you that I used no foul play. I do believe he was quite impressed by me."

"You say that of everyone."

"A habit I learned from you," En Dwi Gast responded. "Seeing these students, they all could use my help."

These were Earth's mightiest heroes? The students were as diverse as the buildings. Some could not even be called human, and a handful were not even organic. Everywhere he looked, he saw shape shifters and spell casters and beings that, like him, had been plucked from the stars overhead.

En Dwi Gast took his time taking them in. One woman's hair seemed to move of its own volition, while another seemed carved from rocks. Just when he thought he had found the most fascinating, a new one stole his attention.

If only they were even halfway decent fighters. Most merely batted against robots, the steel shells not so much as firing a spare shot of electricity at them. Rag dolls probably would have only taken a fraction less of strength for half these students to knock down. And their fighting styles? Most seemed to just throw their fists at each other wildly, grinning wildly while doing so.

Had he stuck them all in his arena, he probably would not have stayed awake through the entire competition.

"You are hardly a pupil here yourself, Taneleer."

"What did these mortals think they could teach me?" He shrugged. "It amuses me, and that is all that matters in lives such as ours. Besides, they allowed me to keep my collection with me."

It was the only familiar sight in this Terran landscape.

"I must admit, I was surprised to see that it looked exactly as I remembered it. I would have expected it to grow since your arrival. There are fine specimens all around us."

Taneleer grinned. "And that is where you are wrong, brother. My collection has grown far larger than ever before, and grows more with every passing day. Whatever you think of this place, know this."

His voice lowered then, and was almost lost in the surrounding chatter and distant echo of bangs and pows coming from seemingly all directions.

"This place-everyone in it-is mine. They may walk freely but only because I require no cage for them. Unlike some unruly past pieces of mine, they seem quite content to stay here. And every day they fascinate me more."

His eyes gleamed. "You may be the master of games, but I am the one here who has truly won." He leaned forward, placing a hand on The Grandmaster's shoulder. "Welcome to Avengers Academy, brother. Do enjoy your stay."

**Author's Note:**

> I have a big soft spot for the Elders of the Universe, especially these two. Here's hoping that the game adds the rest of them.
> 
> This fic is basically what I wanted to happen in-game.
> 
> My one regret about this fic is not getting Taneleer to make a blue skin joke. I had it all planned out but then it just never fit into the story.


End file.
